Just so you know, this article is not about Michelle Bachman. It is about the question of the acceptance and viability of Confessional Lutheranism in the world. When it is phrased that way, it is clear that this is not a question that we should lose too much sleep over. The world does not and cannot embrace Confessional Christianity/Lutheranism. Once we are found out by the culture to be who we are, believers in the common sense truth of Scripture and its radical assertions about man, sin and the exclusivity of salvation in Christ, the world will reject our views as so much hog wash. This is one of the lessons to be learned from the Bachmann candidacy.
As further proof that this is not about Michele Bachmann, personally I could vote for her. I think she and Sarah Palin demonstrate more courage to move this country to a genuinely conservative agenda than the male candidates with the possible exception of Herman Cain. (I wasn’t able to follow the entire string of comments on our previous post on women presidents so I am not sure if I am kosher or not. I am sure you will let me know.)
The Atlantic Monthly article focussed on the issue of the confessional claim that the pope fills the office of the antichrist. Bachman is accused of being a Catholic hater for being in a church for so many years that holds such a prejudice view.
As you will see in the article, the communications person for the WELS did a fine job in clarifying and confessing the Lutheran position on this matter.
One of my favorite Catholics, Bill Donahue, president of the Catholic League and frequent defender of all good conservative Christian principles, is really steamed at Bachmann, as the story points out. Like I say, I respect Donahue but on this point he is off base. Is he not, as a conservative Catholic who upholds the Decrees of the Council of Trent which anathematize Lutherans (i.e. condemn us to hell), likewise not a prejudice Lutheran-hater?
I hope and pray that our culture can get back to a point where it might actually elect a confessional Lutheran to the presidency but I will not hold my breath. We should continue to do what we can in the political arena to uphold Christian morals (notice I did not use the secular humanist term “values”) but not be surprised when we are outed as bitter clingers to our unenlightened views, our exclusivity, and of course, our guns.
From: http://steadfastlutherans.org/?p=15332 on July 21st, 2011 by Pastor Tim Rossow
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